It was just earlier this week that Verizon Wireless responded to a Federal Communications Commission “request for clarification” about their recent doubling of end termination fees, or ETFs, from $175 to $350. Verizon’s response was highly unsatisfying: they claimed that the doubled fees were “good for consumers” and claimed that they were still losing money on customers up until the 23rd month of a two year contract.

Now the FCC has fired back. What do they think of Verizon’s response? Baloney, paraphrased.

According to Federal Communications Commisioner Wignon Clyburn, the company’s answers were “unsatisfying and, in some cases, troubling.” Some responses even “alarmed” her.

“I am concerned about what appears to be a shifting and tenuous rationale for ETFs,” she wrote. “No longer is the claim that ETFs are tied solely to the true cost of the wireless device; rather, they are now also used foot the bill for ‘advertising costs, commissions for sales personnel, and store costs’.”

The conclusion of her letter is bad news for Verizon, but potentially good news for consumers in 2010: “I look forward to exploring this issue in greater depth with my colleagues in the New Year.” Please do.